


I Heard a Rumor

by Anonymous



Category: Euphoria (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Codependency, Drug Use, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, High School, Implied Sexual Content, Love at First Sight, Pining, Pre-Canon, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2020-11-02 06:49:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20658548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Cassie's family just moved into town the summer before freshmen year after her dad left, and all she wants to do is blend in and get through her four years of high school without complication. But when a negative rumor about her gets out, she gains the attention of Maddy, Cassie merely can't seem to stop herself from wanting to always be near her.





	1. New Girl in Town

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that has been stuck on my mind lately because I saw the potential in it and I wanted this particular story to be written. So far I haven't written anything in a while, so hopefully, this doesn't suck tremendously. I want this story to be two parts in one, so the first part will be all the original stuff of everybody in the summer before freshmen year and freshmen year. The second will obviously be the canon version with some spins because of the changes I will make. I have nothing else to say except enjoy.
> 
> Oh, and P.s, I gonna have a narrater voice that sounds like Rue, just because I like how it was done in the show.

_The Howard's had just moved into town and it was the beginning of summer. Having moved from a nicer neighborhood two towns over is a big whiplash to all the women in the family involved._

_After Gus Howard lost his job he seemed to try to want the best for his daughters, but he fell into a pretty hardcore drug addiction after a car accident and bailed._

_The girls' mother had a strong love for alcohol but she was able to sober herself enough before they fell into debt and sold their old house and took the rest of the family to a smaller, more 'quaint' town, where everyone could start new._

_It was met with mixed reactions but nothing too terrible that they wouldn't understand._

_That move would have a stronger impact on some more than others_

_And this was only their beginning._

* * *

Cassie had finally got her side of the room set up the way she liked it before she made a sound of satisfaction and turning around to face her sister. Her younger sister was looking through a box labeled, 'Fantasy books'.

"Hey Lex, what do you think?" She makes of a show of hands that goes in a 'tada' motion.

Lexi looks up, blinks and looks back down. "Cool." Her voice monotone and aloof. Cassie visibly deflates and trudges over to her sister, sprawling herself on the couch and looking up at her.

"C'mon that's the best you're gonna give me. I thought us being roommates now was supposed to be fun." She pouts at her sister and stares at Lexi until she gets an answer, knowing that it would make her uncomfortable eventually.

Lexi fidgets until she groans and looks back over at her sister. "You know I hate when you do that."

"That's why I use it as my secret weapon."

"More like every time you want me to do something," Lexi mumbles under her breath before sitting beside her sister. She avoids eye contact with an unhappy look on her face and Cassie sighs and sits up to look at her properly.

"What's up Lex?" Her tone is soft as she looks at her.

Lexi lets out a deep sigh before answering, "Why couldn't we stay in our old neighborhood?"

"You know why."

"I know that the other house was too expensive and so was school, but they had smaller houses and apartments out there and public schools. Why did we move here, there's nothing to do here, nobody we know." Lexi's looking frustrated as she faces Cassie for answers. "What if Dad came back and he was looking for us? He wouldn't even know where to start."

_'Cassie baby, of course, I miss you.'_

Cassie shakes her head from the memory. "..well you know what mom said, if he really wants to know where we are, he'll just have to look into the phone book." She repeats the excuse their mom told them to Lexi and smiles at her.

_Lexi was smart though, and never believed any of the bullshit that came out of her mother's mouth._

Lexi rolled her eyes and got back up to continue to sort out her side of the room. "Okay, Cass. A phonebook. I'll await his call."

Before Cassie could say any more to her sister, their mother walks into the room with her first glass of wine that day.

_Cassie doesn't say anything, already too used to her mom's behavior but seriously, it was 3:00 in the afternoon. Where was her change?_

"The room is coming together nicely girls. I know you're not used to sharing rooms or bathrooms but this can be fun. All us gals in a new town. It'll be like Sex In The City." 

"Mom please shut up, it's not like that at all," Cassie told her mom and got up back to her side.

"Oh, what do you know, that was before your time." Their mother points at them and takes another sip of her wine. "Since it's our first night here, I can make dinner-"

"No thank you."

"Absolutely not, your cooking sucks."

Both girls said this at the same time and Suze walks out of the room done with talking to them at the moment, calling over her shoulder. "Well, you two better figure it out, because if not, I'm making dinner!" Cassie groans and Lexi lets out a huff before looking over at her sister.

"Cass can you please cook tonight, that would make me feel a lot better about the move." Cassie knew she couldn't deny Lexi anything when her sister was in a bad mood, it was something that happened rarely so she tried to keep her happy when the bad times did happen. 

"Sure Lex, I'm pretty much done here. I can walk down to the store and pick up stuff." Cassie says this to her sister and gets a smile in return before she leaves the room. 

"Mom! I'm going to the store and I'm making dinner. Please don't touch anything in the kitchen."

"Okay, my purse is downstairs, be careful love you." Her mom answers from her room.

"Love you too."

Cassie is finally by herself and she gets time to think about how fucked up her life is and how everything went bad fast. "God I hate my life."

* * *

_You see a little back story on the Howard family was that they were this beautiful picture-perfect family, that at one point had it all. Until Gus Howard got laid off from his nice corporate job and couldn't afford the lifestyle he was living anymore. Which means no one else could either. _

_Suze had to stop day drinking with the rest of the women at the country club and help out with finances to support her family. She wasn't going to find anything that paid a lot unless she lost her self respect really fast, and she hadn't hit that point yet._

_ For Cassie and Lexi that meant they had to cut their extracurricular activities. Cassie wasn't able to participate in Ice skating anymore, which crushed her sweet soul. And Lexi had to stop her United Nations for kids club, (which was a really nice club; they got to fly to all these places across the country and meet people who would teach them about world peace and how to make life better). The girls were able to still go their private school since the year was already paid for but the whole community knew that the Howard family had lost any credibility. _

_Unable to find a job, Gus turned to drinking and one night he fell asleep at the wheel and hit a truck. No one thought he would live. But he was able to make a recovery, unfortunately, he got addicted to the drugs the doctors gave him and he slowly he slipped out of the lives of his family and left all of his responsibilities behind. _

_Suze wallowed in her self-pity at the life she used to have with about six different types of alcohol by her side and she didn't stop until she realized that she wasn't going to able to keep her daughters in private school anymore nor could she keep the house they were in._

_With that she let them finish the school year before she packed their bags, sold her beautiful home for a nice settlement and moved two towns over to run away from the past and never think about it again. _

_Lexi wasn't happy about the move. Having already lost UN, her old school, old friends, old house, and her father. This was out of her comfort zone and it was taking her a moment to adjust. _

_For Cassie though it was also a good reason to run away. Having been the last one to see her father in the...state he was in, broke her heart enough as it was but other than that she had grown close to one of the boys at the school. Anthony Trudeau. She thought she had a friend while she was dealing with all the chaos around her that past year and she slept with him when she found out that she would be moving away because she thought she loved him and wanted it to be real poetic. But then he posted a video of them together and her reputation at school changed from, a poor girl with dysfunctional parents too, slut fucking for money._

_After that Cassie was ready to get the hell out of there and never turn back. It's kinda sucky how shit plays out sometimes. _

* * *

Cassie walks into a grocery store looking for something easy to make. She decided on spaghetti since she made it plenty of times before and it's a favorite amongst her family. She makes sure to pick up a plain salad since if she didn't get a vegetable with their meal, Lexi would complain. Plus a box of brownies just for her.

"Ugh, yes mom, I promise I won't do anything bad. It's just a party with some friends....No Kat won't be there, her parents took her on a cruise...BB will there-...What do you mean you don't like her! That's rude!" Cassie stops pushing her cart and looks over to the sound of a girl arguing with someone. 

For a moment Cassie lost her breath and she thought she would die for a second. Time froze and all Cassie could focus on was the girl in front of her. With her dark hair, dark eyes, full lips, makeup, clothes, and nails.

_All her life Cassie has been told that she was beautiful and to this day, she firmly believed it. But this girl seemed like a goddess among men. _

Her breath seemed to be punched back into her and when she realized that she was still staring at the girl, she took her cart and ran behind an aisle before she be could notice. 

"Mom please just let me go. I can't stay out late anyway, the cheer clinic is tomorrow morning...yes that is why I went to the store. They have a sign-up sheet here with papers. I wouldn't lie about that..." Cassie peaks between the shelf to look back at the girl and can see her looking bored and continues to listen to whatever her mother is telling. _Her hair is so pretty_. Cassie thinks to herself as she looks at the girl. She jumps when the girl starts to speak again. "Mom don't worry about the party, I'll be safe." She then gets a dark look on her face before she continues speaking. "No this won't be like my pageants, being a cheerleader is through the school, I highly doubt they'll have molesters...thank you, I will sign my name and bring you the paper with all the information. Can I go to the party?" Her face gets happy and she turns around to sign the paper on the board and hangs up the phone with her mother. The girl goes up to the register to buy something and with that, she leaves the store.

Cassie's heart is beating fast and she can't understand why. She slowly creeps out from where she was hiding and goes over to board where there is lots of information about East Highland in general, along with other events going around town.

She sees the cheerleading sign up sheet with the information papers next to it.

**EAST HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING MEETING AND CLINIC, JUNE 5 AT 9:00AM-2:00 PM IN THE HIGH SCHOOL GYM.**

Cassie still doesn't understand anything that's happening right now and she is confused as to why she signs her name up and grabs an information paper before she leaves the grocery store with her dinner items.

_But she knew deep down that it had to do with the name written right on top of hers and everything else about the person who wrote it._

_Maddy Perez._

* * *

"Cassie you have done it again babygirl. Thanks for the dinner, mommy's gonna turn in for the night girls. I have to get up early to handle some business, so I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Night mom," both girls say in unison. They were both in the living room, watching a Lifetime movie. The day had felt long and neither girl was ready to go to sleep yet.

"Sooo Lex, how has your day been?" Cassie looks over at her, Lexi looks out of the corner of her eye at Cassie and then back to the tv.

"It was fine. I organized my bookshelf the way I like it."

"Were you able to get a look around the neighborhood?"

"No, I just unpacked all day."

"Are you excited to start a new school."

"No, I'm gonna be the new girl who shows up in the last year of junior high." Her eyes never leaving the screen

"Oh." Lexi was patient, and even in her worst of moods, she rarely snapped at her sister, and Cassie could tell this wasn't the day to push but she told her sister everything and she might as well get it out sooner rather than later. "Well guess what I did today."

"Finished your side of the room, went to the store and made dinner."

"Well yeah but that's not all that I did."

"Bought brownies and didn't share." Cassie rolled her eyes at her sister and then forced her to look at her.

"I saw a girl, and I signed up for cheer at school. See look," She pulls out the paper she folded and stuffed into her jeans. "They're having a meeting and clinic tomorrow so that they can see who would be a good fit." Lexi's face finally falls out of that blank mask before she grabs the paper and reads it. "Do you think I'm gonna make it?"

"I have no doubt you'll make it, but how the hell will you pay for it? Being a cheerleader isn't cheap." Cassie's smile drops and she groans and flops over her sister.

"Why must you be so pessimistic?"

"I'm not, I'm realistic. Mom won't be able to help you, she has to take care of the bills."

"I know!" Cassie groans again.

"Then why are you doing this?"

_Dark hair, dark eyes, full lips..._

"I just wanted to be able to enjoy high school a little."

"Cassie-"

"Please Lexi, don't tell mom, if I can't find a way to pay for it, I'll just quit and she won't have to ever know." She pouts at her sister and bats her eyelashes. Lexi shakes her head at Cassie but gives her back her paper.

"Fine but if mom comes home early and finds you gone, I won't cover for you."

"Not even if I share the brownies?"

"...Okay, I'll cover for you." Cassie squeals and gives her sister a hug. "Cassie let me go, I wanted to watch this movie."

* * *

That night when both Howard sisters are in bed, Cassie falls asleep still mesmerized by one name.

_Maddy Perez._


	2. The Cheerleader Expedition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope no one thought Cassie was coming off as a stalker, like Nate. I wanted it to be more like how when Rue first saw Jules. She just feels drawn to her, but not as bold as to approach her and ask to go home with her.

_Cassie woke up that morning with her stomach in knots. She hated doing spur of the moment things because when it came closer to what she signed herself up for, she felt that she would end up vomiting if she made any mistakes. _

_Like that time she tried to do a backflip while skateboarding and broke her wrist. Just because that bitch Petunia Matthews told everyone she couldn't do it. She did it...she just broke her wrist. Point blank of this story is that Cassie is heavily motivated by two things. _ _Spite and beautiful people. _

* * *

"Cassie get out of the bathroom! Did you forget we share one now." Cassie hears her sisters voice through the door but she just can't seem to get off the floor.

"Ugh."

"It's almost nine, you're going to be late. Plus you said you would make me breakfast."

"Ugh."

"...Cassie, you suck."

_"I know._" Cassie rolls over but that's about it.

"Remember what dad use to say about being a quitter. You won't make it far with that attitude." Cassie snorted but not loud enough for her sister to hear. _Please, dad quit the whole family._ "Even though you being a cheerleader is not a good idea, you looked really happy last night. Don't you still want to enjoy high school a little?" Lexi repeats her sister words from the night before with a soft tone.

_Maddy..._

"Okay." With that in mind, Cassie gets off of the floor and opens the bathroom door, revealing her younger who looks at her with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, at least you're fully dressed."

"I was completely ready two hours ago. I just got nervous at the last minute."

Lexi shakes her head and gives Cassie a disgruntled look "Every. Single. Competition. It's getting old. Now get out so I can pee." Cassie steps out of the way and goes into their room to grab her duffle bag off her bed.

As she walks back out into the hallway she stops by the bathroom door. "Do you still want me to make you breakfast?"

"No, if you don't leave now, you will be late. Just make me a very delicious lunch when you get back." Lexi replies through the door.

"Okay, Lex. Wish me luck, I love you."

"Good luck, I love you too." Cassie takes one more breath before heading out.

_Cassie wanted to walk to the school because she felt that by the time she got there she wouldn't be freaking out that much anymore. Plus she lost her bike about four months ago and Lexi doesn't like to share hers often because Cassie borrowed her last bike and lost it. And her mom can't trust her to skateboard after the whole backflip incident._

As she gets closer to the school, she sees lots of girls walking in the school, dressed in their work out wear and carrying bags, laughing and talking.

Cassie gets into the gym and sees girls everywhere. She starts to feel at ease when the setting sort of reminds her of competition but she keeps walking inside. Cassie goes to sit by two girls who don't pay her any attention and continue their conversation. She gets out her phone and starts to text Lexi.

_What are you doing?_

_Watching cartoons and eating cereal. Why are you texting me?_

_There are a lot of girls here._

_So._

_So. I don't think the school is going to accept 60 girls on the team._

_Beating competition isn't new for you. Why are you so nervous today?_

At this point, Cassie doesn't know how to respond. Does she lie to her sister? Does she tell her the truth? Lexi always finds out anyway, might as well...

Before she could reply to Lexi though, Cassie hears a familiar name and pops her head up.

"Hey, Maddy come sit with us!" She sees a girl with brown skin and big curly hair wave the girl in question over to a group of girls who are laughing and also waving at Maddy.

"Hey, Chantelle." Maddy smiles at the girls and goes to sit down with them.

_Damn. Here comes that vomiting feeling._ Cassie thinks to herself before putting her phone away altogether as she sees a couple of older women walk into the gym. The women in the center with sweats on blows her whistle, silencing the entire gym.

"Good morning ladies. Welcome to cheer clinic." All the girls clap and cheer. "If you don't know me, I'm the head coach, Coach Gregory. And this here is the assistant coach, Coach Rivera." She points at the slim women next to her who waves at everyone. "Now before we move to the fun part of the day we do have information and rules we need to go over for being an East Highland cheerleader,"

"Our school district is not the largest but we are rank 3rd in the whole state. So we will not deal with laziness, attitude problems, or any disruptions of any kind." She pauses and looks at everyone with a stern look before continuing. "As you all can see there are quite a few of you here today, new girls and old. For that reason, if you don't already know. I only accept 22 girls and every year you have to try out for your spot, nothing is guaranteed, so I can either have a team full of seniors or freshmen. It depends on you and how hard you want it,"

"If you make the team, there will be morning practices, there will be evening practices. You can't skip or miss unless it is something serious. If you make the team, you have to be passing all your classes with a B average. Nothing less. Any events such as pep rallies, football, and basketball games, parades, fundraisers, and so on you have to be at unless it is serious. If you make the team, you have to try out for competition season,"

"That's the basic information for everyone and if you make the team, just know that today is clinic day, to get a feel if you want it or not. Starting Monday through Thursday you will get into groups and learn your routine dance and stunts. You get Friday off to rest but you will be back Saturday for tryouts. If you make the team, you hear from us that night in a group message, any questions?" No one said a word. Coach Gregory nodded her head and looked at Coach Rivera. 

_Coach Rivera was really pretty, she had her hair in a pixie cut and this serene look on her face like she was high or some shit. She kind of freaked Cassie out, to be honest. She wasn't used to someone looking so relaxed. _

"Okay girls, we're going to split up by grade. So if you're a freshman, come sit with me. Sophomores and Juniors go with Coach Gregory, and seniors are in a group by themselves." Cassie and the two girls she was sitting with, walk over to Coach Rivera, she looks over and sees Maddy waving bye to the group of girls she was sitting with as they head over by Coach Gregory.

"Okay girls, so from what can I see, sixteen of you want to be a cheerleader. How about we get to know each other since we'll all be hanging out." One girl shoots her hand up and stands. She was tall with short blond hair. 

"My name is Meredith. I have always wanted to be a cheerleader but my parents were in the marines so we moved a lot but now we're settled here, and I'm excited to have this experience." She sits back down and Coach Rivera still has that scary-ass face on.

Another girl stands up and Cassie realizes it was one of the girls she was sitting with. The girl had a real girl next door look and her friend was the opposite with her gothic style. "I'm Indigo and this girl here is my best friend Alanna. She said she would try out with me since I'm usually really shy, so I can't wait for what's next." She sits down and all the other girls go on with Cassie spacing in and out of boredom. _Lexi probably ate all my brownies._

"...' Scuse me, Cassie?" Cassie's eye refocuses back on the Coach with everyone staring at her. "Honey it's your turn." Her face heats up as she hears the other girls snicker and whisper to each other. She can feel the dark brown eyes of someone staring but she chooses not to look in that direction as she stands up.

"Hi, my name is Cassie Howard. My family just moved here about a week and a half ago. This was a decision that just kind of came to me so... yeah." She sits back down but then Coach Rivera starts talking again, her face finally moving on to something Cassie can't make out.

"Have you done cheerleading before?" 

_Cassie has done swim, gymnastics, tap, kickboxing, and of course ice skating. Never has she done cheerleading. _

"Yes, ma'am I have." Cassie's say confidently. "Only for a short amount of time as I was more focused on ice skating," Cassie replies smoothly and Coach Rivera nods her head, serene smile back in place before addressing everyone again. 

"Well ladies, we don't have all day. Let's get a move on."

* * *

Cassie walks home tired but fulfilled. She likes having something to do again. She hasn't had much to do since she quit ice skating. Cassie not being kept busy is the exact reason she met Anthony. She hated that she wasn't in control in that situation and she planned to not be in that position again.

She walks into her driveway but doesn't see her mom's car, so she figures she should still be in the clear. Cassie goes inside and sees the tv on but no Lexi. "Lex?"

Lexi's head pops up from the couch and she squints at Cassie. "Hey, Cass. You know you ignored my text from earlier." She says groggily.

Cassie rolls her eyes but goes to sit down by her sister. "That's because the coach walked in to tell us about all these rules. Have you done anything except watch tv all day?"

"Hush, I can do as I please. Answer my question from earlier as you make lunch." Cassie goes to kiss her sister on the cheek before pushing her off the couch. "Ow! Seriously Cassie. This is the thanks I get after I covered for you today."

"Shut up, mom isn't even home yet, you didn't do anything except eat all my brownies and watch cartoons. " Lexi gets a sheepish look on her face like she forgot that Cassie knew everything about her. 

"Okay, I'll bite. How was your cheer thingy?"

"Like a bunch of fucking rules and obligations."

"So, just like how it use to be back home?"

"Yup."

Lexi nods slowly while she wraps her arms around her legs and looks up at Lexi. "Still. Why were you nervous today? You've been doing this stuff since we were babies."

Cassie can't bring herself to look at her sister yet. She closes her eyes before letting out a tired sigh and looking back at Lexi. "There's a girl...and I don't know what it is, but I feel like I have to know her and... I _need_ her to know me." Cassie never breaks eye contact with her sister as she says this and she waits for Lexi's response.

After a pregnant pause, Lexi quietly asks Cassie, "Does it feel like Anthony?"

"No."

"Do you think she wants the same things you want?"

Cassie thinks back to the day she just had and however since she introduced her to Coach Rivera and the other freshmen girls, she felt dark eyes follow her direction the entire day. "If I play my cards right."

Lexi doesn't say anything for a second but she does get off the floor to look at the door and then back at Cassie. "Want to just order pizza for dinner?"

Cassie stares at Lexi but she knows how their routine works. If it isn't a problem, they don't speak about it.

"Yeah, I'm beat. I'll just go take a shower and take a nap and before mom comes home we can just call it in."

"Okay." Cassie smiles at her sister before grabbing her bag and starting up the stairs. "Did you find out how you're going to pay for cheerleading?"

_That was still a problem. _

"Ugh."


	3. Constant Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who shows up in this one...

_For the past week, Cassie has been busting her ass to try and show out for cheer and she can already tell she will make it. She has done a great job of not looking, speaking, or breathing in Maddy's direction. I know that sounds weird for someone who has a crush but can you blame her, she doesn't want to have another can't breathe episode. _

_Lately, she's also noticed that she has gained attention from all the girls at tryouts but she can tell it isn't anything good with the looks everyone gives her and whispers she sees. So she doesn't go out of her way to be friendly with any of them since everyone is treating her like the plague. _

_Oh and Coach Rivera still freaks her the fuck out._

* * *

It's the morning of tryouts and Cassie was by herself in the bathroom putting on some light makeup. The freshmen group is the last group to go for tryouts and everyone else had left the school after finishing theirs. 

Cassie still hadn't thought of a way to pay for cheer and Maddy didn't ever look at her with any positive looks. She wasn't feeling up to this anymore but she knew to make it would make a lot of the other girls mad so that's kinda her only motivation at this point. She was about to text Lexi and ask her how her day was going. Her sister hasn't left the house since they moved here and she had to be forced to wander around town an socialize. Cassie could tell she wasn't happy about it since she hadn't bothered to say goodbye before she took her bike and left.

She wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings, so when she heard the bathroom door slam shut, she jumped and looked over at the cause. Standing there with her makeup bag and a face that looked like she would slap the shit out Cassie was the goddess herself. Cassie was reminded of the first time she saw Maddy. The feeling of not being able to breathe and not having the ability to move and stop looking like an idiot. The only difference this time was that Maddy was looking straight back at her. But Cassie highly doubted that Maddy was feeling the same things she was since she was glaring at Cassie with a look of distaste.

As much as she wanted to finally speak to the girl who has been distracting her thoughts, the glare kinda put her off and she forced her face back to the mirror, nervously picking at her hair and makeup. She desperately wanted to call Lexi but she couldn't move and she only had so much time before tryouts began.

She stayed focus on the mirror in front of her, ignoring the other girl who walked right next to her and began to do her makeup. Cassie doesn't know how much time passed before she took a deep breath and gathered her things to leave the bathroom.

"What the fuck is your problem." the words were spoken calmly but confidently, more as a statement than a question.

Cassie's head snapped back in direction of the other girl who didn't stop doing her makeup. "Excuse me?"

"I said. What. The. Fuck. Is. Your. Problem." This time Maddy looks at her but the glare is also back with force.

Cassie is speechless again and she just can't believe Maddy is talking to her, but she also wonders what the hell she did she get this reaction out of her and why this is any of fault. She doesn't know why it happened, maybe after being shunned and judged for an entire week with no reason why, maybe because Lexi is mad at her today and she doesn't like when they fight, or maybe it's because she feels stupid for thinking Maddy could have been feeling similar to how Cassie was feeling but she kinda snaps and she's tired of the bullshit. "I don't have a fucking problem, obviously you do or else you wouldn't be speaking to me right now." Cassie puts as much rudeness in her tone as she rolls her eyes at Maddy.

Maddy doesn't back down though, if anything she seems more deadly with her sparkly makeup, giving her more face. "Bitch don't act dumb, I know you've seen everyone looking at you and talking about you. You just got here and you want to start a problem with me."

"What problem do you keep talking about, I just moved here, how in the fuck did I do anything to you, I barely know you."

"Maddy fucking Perez bitch and I heard that you fucked my ex."

Cassie knows she has to respond or she will lose this fight but she truly is lost for words. She hasn't met any guys yet, except that creepy one at the gas station. But fucking someone, no not yet. "I didn't touch your boyfriend."

"That why did that loser send me naked pictures of you saying that you were going to beat my ass." Again Cassie is stunned but she quicker on the uptake. "I don't know, I'm famous." Maddy looks at her with a blank face but steps closer into Cassie's space.

"So you just got nudes flying around the internet?" Her tone is suspicious but she doesn't sound as angry.

"You're not the only one with a loser ex." Both girls stare at each other for a while before Maddy snorts and goes back to finishing her make up. "..So you were angry with me because you thought I had sex with your ex-boyfriend?"

"No, I was angry because all the girls here told me that you were going to try and fight me over Tim's dumb ass and that pissed me off because you wouldn't look me in my face and you were talking behind my back." Maddy finished saying that as she was done with her makeup and goes to looking back at Cassie. "This town talks about everyone, you need to get used to rumors."

Cassie can't believe that this all just happened. She never expected this when she envisioned speaking to Maddy for the first time. Lexi will laugh at Cassie when she tells her this later.

The door to the bathroom opens again. It's one of the other freshmen girls. "Umm Maddy coach says that you need to hurry up because we're about to start." She doesn't make any moves to address Cassie and completely focuses on Maddy.

Maddy nods at her. "Okay, I'll be out soon." The other girl leaves and Maddy goes back to looking at Cassie. "We're going to talk later." Without waiting for a response she grabs her bag and disappears from the bathroom.

"How do I get myself into these situations." Cassie groans before she also leaves the bathroom. 

* * *

Cassie leaves the gym with the thought of taking a bubble bath in mind. A bubble bath and brownies. A bubble and brownies and a glass of her mom's nice wine.

She's caught up in her thoughts. So when she feels someone walking next to her and says. "Hey." In a cool tone, she sorta loses her composure and jumps away.

Shocking her for the second time that day was Maddy herself. Her facial expression doesn't change except for the raised eyebrow that she gives Cassie, looking at her without a care in the world.

_Yeah not like I didn't just __have a heart attack._ Cassie thinks bitterly before replying in a bored tone. "Yeah."

"Did you walk here?"

"Maybe."

"Damn can you just answer the question."

"Okay, I did. So what?"

"Well now it's later and I want to talk and I have the car today." Her voice became more hesitant and maybe a little shy but Cassie couldn't tell on that last one because she still had that mean ass look on her face. "We can hang out." 

_This would be the moment that Cassie has shown that she respects herself and that she never tries to be friendly with a girl who confronted her based on a lie._

"Yeah sure okay."

_Sadly she is not that girl._

"How do I know that you won't try to kill me and stuff my body somewhere?" Cassie asks Maddy and is surprised by the laugh she gets in return. 

"Nah I won't kill you. Too much energy. " Cassie can't help but laugh with Maddy as both girls head over to Maddy's car.

* * *

"Do you smoke weed?" They had just been driving around for a while. Not knowing what to do at this point. The town was pretty small and there wasn't much to do on a Saturday afternoon, unfortunately. 

Cassie shrugs her shoulders. "Sometimes I did." 

"Good, then we can just get that and smoke at my house."

"Your family won't care?"

"My mom is visiting my aunt and dad does not give any fucks about anything."

"Okay."

They pull into this gas station and go inside. Cassie doesn't know how this works so she follows Maddy into the empty place as she pulls open the door to one of the freezer sections and walks inside. 

Before Cassie can panic about Maddy seriously killing her she sees a tiny little boy surrounded by drugs and writing down something in a notebook. He looks up when he sees the two of them. "Here to buy something?"

"A bag of weed please," Maddy says to him. He nods and goes to get it. Cassie leans over to whisper in Maddy's ear.

"Why are we buying drugs from a five-year-old?" Maddy snorts but doesn't answer her as the little boy comes back gives her the bag.

"That would be 25." Maddy pays him and they leave and go back to her car.

"So that kid..?"

"Works for another guy who sells." Maddy didn't seem concerned about the minor who they just bought off of, so Cassie pushes that away from her thoughts as not a problem. 

They finally pull up to Maddy's house and both girls grab their things and walk into the house. Maddy not stopping on the way to her room as she speaks to her father. "Dad this is my friend, we're going to my room." Her dad doesn't move from his spot in front of the tv but Cassie does see him nodding his head as he takes a swig of beer.

Cassie studies Maddy's room as they put their stuff down and Maddy locks the door and pulling out the weed. "Hey go into the drawer beside my bed and get some papers." Cassie hands her the item before deciding she has to text Lexi so she doesn't worry.

_I'm going to be coming home a little late._

Cassie waits but she doesn't get a response, so she figures that Lex may still be pissed at her. So she just goes back to focusing on Maddy again. Who seems to know what she is doing as she grinds the weed and rolls it in the paper. Cassie can't think of anything to say. She doesn't want to come off as some weirdo sitting there just staring but she can't think of anything. 

"Why did you want to try out for cheer. "

"I just wanted to. "

"Cool."

"I guess."

_Say something else._ Cassie thought to her.

"What do you plan on doing when you're older." _What are you five?_

"Absolutely nothing."

"...that's what's up."

"Sure is."

_She's gonna tell everybody that I'm a fucking loser and I can't even be mad._

"Why did you an-" Maddy lights the blunt before taking a puff and then stuffing it in Cassie's mouth.

"Stop talking and smoke this weed. You need to relax. We're fine." Cassie nods her head as she tries to relax a bit more, laying down on the bed. Maddy lays beside her and studies Cassie, eyes barley staying in one place as she looks over her. "So I heard you moved from some rich area not too far from the city. What was that like?"

Cassie thinks it over as she passes the blunt back to Maddy. "Pretty much like how you see it on tv, but not as suspenseful, still super dramatic. Everyone flaunting their money, whether it was old or new. Nice schools, always had shit to do...well if you had the money. Scholarship kids couldn't afford the extra."

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes."

"Does it feel weird being...not as rich anymore? "

"We're not rich at all anymore. I guess if you grow up a certain way, it feels strange to have it all change but my family hasn't had any real money in about a year so I'm used to." The blunt is passed back to Cassie and its quiet for a moment. "Did you love Tim?"

"Hell no, he was just for fun. Like buying me things and taking me out."

"Did you have sex with him?"

"No. Before I have sex in high school he has to be the one. "

"The one you love."

"The one I can control."

"So you haven't had sex?"

"I have, I just said before I sex with high school boys he has to be the one. Remember, rumors are everywhere. As soon as I have sex in high school everyone will know. Don't want some bum taking credit for a prize."

"I wish I can start like that."

"Yeah what's up with the nudes? Wanna be a porn star?"

"My boyfriend at my last school, spread my nudes before I left and told everyone I was begging for money. "

"Guys are jerks."

"Word."

* * *

_Maddy and Cassie stayed there for hours talking about any and everything. The connection was instant and both of them feeling that this friendship was a good thing._

"My sister Lexi is awesome, she is super cool about a lot of shit that I have done and never told our parents."

"Can't wait to meet her, I need a loyal bitch at my side. Kat is okay, a little whiny but BB can't keep a fucking secret for shit."

_They talked about simple things._

"So my favorite color at the moment is orange because I have been on this juice cleanse and all I think about is oranges."

"I never tried that before. I might do strawberries instead though."

_They talked about the harder things._

"He sits there day after fucking day and she just lets him, and she never says a word. I hate their marriage and I will never end up in a situation like that."

"My parents were like that too. Except they argued all the time, and only in the privacy of their room like the whole community couldn't tell that they were tired of each other. You know one time she lied about being pregnant so he wouldn't leave for a business trip. I fucking hated them sometimes."

_Impersonal stuff._

"I've always been good at makeup. It's like my calling. If I had the energy, I would definitely beat out all these lame-ass beauty gurus."

"Will you do my make sometimes?"

"Definitely. "

_And personal._

"I felt so fucking powerful. Like the dude was forty and I had him begging me. Every position, every style, I was in control and I knew then and there that guys are only as good as you train them."

"God I wish. When I was having sex. He humping me like a puppy, saying all this dumb shit about how he was gonna make me see stars. Like...?"

"What a fucking loser. You should get back at him."

"Could I still?"

"Oh yeah. There is always time to hurt someone."

_Before both of them knew it was dark outside and they had run out of weed._

"You know what sucks?" Cassie says as she and Maddy watch Netflix, binge-watching Grey's Anatomy.

"What?" Drinking a smoothie that she made for both of them.

"I can't afford to cheer. I didn't even tell my mom because I knew she would tell me no."

"Then why try out?" Maddy doesn't look away from the laptop and Cassie paused looking at Maddy.

"I just wanted to." Repeating the response that Maddy gave Cassie earlier. Maddy nods her head still watching the show before it moves to the next scene. Then she pauses it so sit up and look at Cassie.

"Wait until we get the text, then worry." 

"That's still in...damn ten minutes."

"Then we wait." Unconcerned, she continues her show, not paying any mind to Cassie. Cassie can't seem to follow her lead and looks at her phone, Lexi still hasn't texted back and her mom told her she bought tacos for dinner. Other than that and the addition of Maddy's number, nothing new.

She gets up and then stands in the middle of Maddy's bedroom floor before moving to do a handstand. Trying to make her mind concentrate on her old gymnastics moves than her current dilemma. 

"You're a fucking weirdo Cassie." Cassie hears Maddy's voice but she doesn't open her eyes to look at the girl.

"I know. So you better get used to it."

"Whatever." The clock ticks and Cassie's head starts to hurt but she doesn't move. Then she hears their phones going off and Maddy pausing her show again. Cassie finally stands upright; dizzy and sits back on the bed. Looking at Maddy as she looks at her phone, too scared to look at her own.

"I made it," Maddy says smugly. Cassie can't help but smirk.

"Congratulations."

"So did that tall bitch, Meridith. And those two friends, the funny one and the sneaky one. Everyone else is upperclassmen." Cassie feels her heart sink and she can barely get out the next words. 

"Does that mean..." Maddy looks up and her face is blank as she hands Cassie her phone. Cassie looks and her breath is caught as she sees her name among the four other freshmen Maddy mentioned. "Oh my god! You bitch! I was about to fucking cry for real." Cassie tackles a laughing Maddy and hits her shoulder.

"I couldn't help it. Your face was all sad and shit." Cassie shakes her head but sits up and smiles at Maddy. 

"We're cheerleaders!"

"Yeah, we are. But how do you plan on paying for it?"

"UGH! You sound like Lexi!" Maddy only raises her eyebrow at Cassie. "I don't know," Cassie tells her in a small voice, feeling dejected again. 

"Don't fucking cry again. We can think of something. We don't have to pay for anything until a week before camp and that's almost two months away."

"Do we have a bake sale?"

"No, we're not girl scouts. This town is super lame and it's full of drugs. We'd have to bribe and deceive to get our way and still come out on top."

"So?"

"I'm too high to try to come up with a solution at the moment, but we can figure it out tomorrow when we're sober. I'll pick you up in the morning and we'll talk it over breakfast. "

Cassie let's out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

* * *

"Text me tonight. It's just my dad and me and I'll be super bored." Maddy tells Cassie this as they pull up in front of Cassie's house.

"Okay." Cassie grabs her things and hugs Maddy before getting out. "Bye see you tomorrow. "

"See you." Maddy pulls off and Cassie walks into her house. She sees the living room lights on and hears the tv.

"Lex?" Cassie stays by the door hoping it's her sister and not her mother. 

"Yeah?" Lexi doesn't sound angry with her anymore so Cassie just starts talking. 

"I know you were pissed at me and I'm still not sorry but guess what happened today. I almost got into a fight with Maddy because everyone was telling her that I wanted to fight her for her ex and then I told her I didn't and we ended up being cool after that. Then we hung out all day at her house and just talked about everything." Cassie is taking her shoes off as she says this a throws her duffel bag down by the door. "Then we smoked a bunch of weed and she is going to help me pay for cheer."

She rounds the corner to continue talking to her sister but paused as she sees a lanky girl with curly hair and big clothes sitting on the couch next to her sister. Cassie looks at Lexi but her sister just smiles. The lanky girl speaks up in this moment of shock.

"Sup I'm Rue. Still got any weed on you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really put blood and sweat into this chapter, so I'd appreciate any feedback or love, you want to send my way.


	4. Bake Sale Bounties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry. I am the biggest loser ever. I had no idea what to write for this chapter so it might feel lame. But I said I will finish this and I will.

_If it hasn't been mentioned before, Cassie doesn't make the best decisions when she feels pressured. _

_No one in her family understood it but it happened rarely so they usually let it slip their minds._

_Like the time Cassie's parents first signed her up for kickboxing. Well mainly her dad. Her mother thought it was unrefined of girls to do something that aggressive. Cassie ended up doing it by herself since Lexi had no interest and no one forced her._

_She was so nervous that she went to the wrong class and fought her way through the advanced course before she got kicked out of that gym for bad sportsmanship._

_It was kind of a lesson for her entire family that Cassie can easily take of herself but there's a chance she might go to jail without some supervision. _

* * *

"I thought you said we weren't having a bake sale."

"Bitch this isn't no damn bake sale. We are selling goodie bags with all the best shit that people on drugs like."

"Maddy."

"Cassie calm your fucking tits, this is only one of our side hustles. I told you it would work because this whole town is on drugs. Remember Rue bought like three."

"Please don't keep reminding me that my sister just became friends with a drug addict."

"She not that bad. She's got problems like the rest of us, she just uses them in ways she feels are fine."

"Listen, I like Rue Rue, I have nothing against her and I relate to her immensely but I'm just worried that with us just moving here and Rue's...flaky nature. That Lex is gonna get hurt."

"Life's all about pain princess. But if it makes you feel better, if Rue dips, we'll force Lexi to merge into our friend group. "

"That does make me feel better."

"I know it does. Now less sad shit, we have to sell thirty more of these before seven tonight so we can sneak people in the movies for half the ticket price. I know a guy who's quitting next week so we're on a time crunch."

* * *

Cassie and Maddy have been working nonstop to sell their drug snack bags and other favors around town to get their money. It was a month and a half later into the summer before Maddy declared that they stop.

"Cassie I haven't worked this hard in years, and frankly I don't like it, no matter how much I fuck with you." The girls were in Cassie's room, sitting across from each other on the couch.

"I still need a 150 to go, Maddy, I can't quit." 

"But I want us to go out and have fun, I can't talk shit by myself," Maddy whined. 

Cassie rolls her eyes at her dramatics. "Go with BB." She gets off the couch to go look at the vision board she made for the summer.

"No. She'll ditch me to go fuck some rando." Getting up to follow after her. "Is there not anything I can do to convince you to take this weekend off?"

Cassie pauses before she goes and gets an idea. "Maybe..."

"You sound like you have a plan."

"Sort of. Back in my old town, all these rich lonely old men use to bring younger women to the banquets and galas and then you never saw them with the same woman again. But it was just for appearance. Do you see where I'm going with this."

"That we get murdered?"

Cassie groaned before locking her bedroom and then dragging Maddy back to the couch. "No. Let's become escorts for the night. Then we'll have enough money plus more."

"I don't know.. don't people recognize you?"

"I can take us to a different wealthy town."

"You know where all the wealthy towns are?"

"Yeah, rich people travel."

"Well I'm still hesitant, I don't want to be out all night fucking a bunch of grandpa's."

"...but they're rich grandpa's," Cassie replied in a small voice.

"Find. Another. Plan." Maddy says darkly.

Cassie groans and throws her hands up. "That was my plan! I'm not that smart."

"Shut up and stop downplaying yourself. I have no problem with screwing over the rich but not in a literal sense. What else happens to the wealthy except a gala?"

"I don't know, my mind is mush at the moment."

"God, you're lame."

"You got me there."

"Well since I have to do everything. You are going to a party with me tonight and you can't say no, because you have nothing else to do."

"Oh joy."

* * *

Maddy and Cassie arrive at one of those parties that seems like every teenager went on a Friday night because they had nothing better to do.

Cassie hated it.

But when she looked over at Maddy, she can see her relaxing and smiling at the scene and she felt guilty for having kept her from having any fun this summer.

"I'm gonna get something to drink, you want anything?" Cassie asks Maddy. The girl in question shakes her head and goes back to her conversation with some upperclassmen.

Cassie heads over to a table where all the drinks are and just grabs a soda. She's not in the mood to get liquored up and she doesn't trust anyone here to get drunk enough.

She's just eyeing the scene before she feels someone approach her.

"Not enjoying yourself?" Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a tall guy standing next to her, try to make conversation. 

"Not somewhere I wanted to be tonight."

"Yeah, you're that new girl, the rich one."

"Use to be. Don't really have the funds for luxury anymore."

"I heard something about you and Maddy scheming for cash lately. Trying to buy back your old Mercedes?" He says jokingly.

Cassie scowls at him before trying to find Maddy in the crowd. "What I need money for is none of your fucking business. So thanks for the conversation, but I'm over you now."

She was just about a walk away when the tall asshole stepped in front of her. Cassie was debating on knocking him out but she didn't want to make a scene and ruin Maddy's night.

"Listen I apologize if I'm coming off judgemental. I just wanted to know who you are. I see a girl at my house not having a good time and I want to fix that."

"What's your name?"

"Umm..AJ."

"Well AJ, I'm bored and sorry if this is insulting but house parties don't do it for me that much, especially when I have other things to do. So what do you suggest I do, so I'm not messing with the vibe of your party." The two of them stare at each other for a moment before AJ chuckles and relaxes slightly.

"Wow okay, you're weird. But that's fine, all my closest friends are."

"We are not friends."

"Not yet obviously. Come on, I think I can help you." AJ's tugging at her hand and Cassie's worried about leaving the room without Maddy but she figures she won't be gone long.

"So new girl-"

"Cassie."

"Cassie, how cute. Well, Cassie, do you know how to play poker?"

_She does not._

"Of course I do." She responds confidently.

"That's great! I'm terrible at the game and I've been having bad luck all night, so when I saw you tonight, I had a feeling that you'd be the perfect hustler. So here's our deal. I'll give you 25 to get in the game, you get a thousand and we split it 50/50 since I already lost 500."

"You're playing for money that big?"

"Yeah soon to be college guys with tons spend since we all got full rides."

Cassie is screwed. She knows she's screwed, she wants to tells tell AJ that they're both screwed because she can't play poker and she knows Maddy and Lexi and maybe even Rue will scold her on how screwed she is. No, Rue will Laugh. But regardless she's screwed and not in a fun way.

Even with all these scary thoughts, Cassie doesn't back down from the potential earnings of money.

She just cries to herself and nearly pisses her panties. She enters a well-lit room with a large table and sees six different guys in there, just as tall as AJ.

"Why are you back AJ, I thought you were done for the night?" One of the guys at the table asks as he looks through his cards.

"I am done but I brought someone in who will win all my money back." That's when Cassie gets all eyes on her. She's used to judgment, so she doesn't back down. "Gentlemen this is Cassie. The new girl who's been running around with Maddy."

"You brought one of Maddy's puppets to play with us. That's lame AJ."

"Fuck you, I'm no one's puppet." Cassie snaps back at the main guy who seems to ignore her existence.

"Sure you aren't. I don't know you but Maddy only hangs out with charity cases." The guy says in a dismissive tone before getting back to the game the rest follow.

"Cassie. I know I keep saying sorry but I didn't think they say that shit to you. We can go hang out somewhere else. I have other friends." AJ looks remorseful as he whispers to her and Cassie appreciates him but there's always gonna be that little voice in the back of her head that tells her to destroy the asshole who hurts her.

"Don't worry about it. Just give me the money and I promise this night will end in my favor."

"Cassie are you sure you know how to play?"

"I know how to bluff." She winks at him before snatching the cash and putting the money on the table. "So you bitches think I'm just a charity case. Well put your money in and let's see who's the charity."

"Little freshmen skank thinks she's the shit."

"I sure do. Stop being pussys and let's play."

No one said anything as everyone put the money in and the cards were dealt. The atmosphere felt tense because these guys insulted Cassie and vice versa. When she looks back at AJ she can understand why he kept losing, his facial expressions were obvious. 

Cassie didn't know how to play, but so far her cards were a king and queen, so she decided to be confident in her play by raising her hand. One of the guys who is playing dealer reveals three of the cards, a four, ten, and a queen. 

She places another bet and she feels seven different pairs of eyes on her. Like they know something and it's scaring her. She can't breathe and she wants to find Maddy but at this point, it's far too late.

The game feels like it takes too long and too short. Continuously repetitive as everyone places a bet and reveals a card. The last two cards are a two and a seven.

So far only four out the six guys playing with Cassie have folded. The last two are the main jerk number one and a really quiet one who makes her feel cold.

"Time to reveal. Whatcha got Liam?" The main one asks the quiet one.

"Ace and a two. You?"

"Queen and seven." That must have been bad for Liam, by his low mumbled 'damn'. "What about you Charity?" Again all eyes were on her and everyone except AJ was giving her a look of hatred. 

Cassie kept her features blank as she set her cards down and prayed for mercy. "A king and a queen." She puts her cards down for everyone to see and waits for any reaction. 

It was silent for a full five seconds before she heard AJ cheer and pick her up, hugging her. 

"Cassie you won 5000 dollars!"

_No shit. What the hell?_

"Of course I did. I'm fucking cool like that."

AJ chuckles and squeezes her one more time before putting her down. Then turns to all the guys in the room and gestures at her. "She deserves an apology."

From the blank looks she's getting, A apology doesn't seem possible.

"AJ I don't need one, I'm perfectly fine and 2,500 dollars richer."

He doesn't say anything for a moment, his attention solely focused on the group in front of them. "Yeah, that's fine. Text me later though, there's this thing I'm doing with some other friends of mine. College bonfire next town over. You can invite Maddy if you want and all three of us can do that next weekend."

"What party?" One with curly brown asks.

"A party none of you need to know about. What do you say, Cassie, I promise it'll be fun, the guy who invited me was nice." AJ is giving her a look of glee and Cassie has no idea what's happening but thrives off the chaos of whatever it is.

"That wouldn't be a prob-"

"Fucking sorry freshmen! Shit! We are sorry." The curly hair one speaks again and he looks like he has a sour taste in his mouth as he apologizes. 

"She has a name, Cameron," AJ told him in a bored tone.

Cameron looks sicker and that's when Liam steps in. "Cassie, on behalf of everyone in the room, we do apologize for our rudeness. I sincerely hope you forgive us for our behavior. Isn't that right Trent." He turns towards the main one, He doesn't take his eyes off AJ as he grunts in agreement. 

"Yeah sorry. Take your money and leave freshmen. AJ take a seat, we need to speak on some things." 

"Why of course Trent." AJ softly smiles and gives Cassie her cash and starts to push her out of the room. "You can still text me later if you want. I promise we're friends." He whispers before the door slams shut. 

Cassie has absolutely no idea what just happened, but at this point in the night, she's too tired to care and goes searching for Maddy.

When she gets back into the living room, the party is still in full swing but she can see others lounging around the house and talking amongst themselves. Cassie sees the people Maddy was hanging out with but not the girl herself.

It wasn't until she steps out into the front yard that she finds Maddy sitting by herself on a porch swing.

"Hey gorgeous, guess what weird shit just happened to me." Cassie smiles at Maddy as she sits by her. Maddy doesn't look her way as she keeps scrolling through her phone. "Maddy?"

"Fuck off Cassie." Maddy's posture doesn't change but her tone is cold, Cassie looks at her friend with wide eyes.

"What the hell did I do now?" Maddy just glares at her. "Seriously bitch I actually had a little fun, you should be proud," Cassie explains to her, still not understanding what's wrong. 

Maddy sighs and finally turns toward Cassie. "Where were you?"

"What?"

"Don't fucking what me Cassandra, where were you. You left over an hour saying you were getting a drink and never came back, I call and you don't answer your phone. I thought you left me here. If you didn't want to come that badly, tell me next time."

Cassie doesn't say anything, all she can do is stare. She feels something in her chest but can't understand what exactly.

"Cassie! Say something!"

_I love you._

"You were worried about me?"

"...No." Maddy suddenly looks embarrassed as she says this.

"Aww, I'm sorry baby, I met this guy who's about to be a senior. Actually this is his party, and he-"

"You met AJ?"

"Yeah, he was kinda weird, so he took me to this private poker game with his rude ass friends and I won! Can you believe it, I've never even played before and I got." She pauses to see if anyone was listening in before leaning in closer with a whisper."_$2,500._" Maddy lets out a gasp and Cassie giggles."Isn't this great. I can finally stop worrying about all this cheer crap. Plus I have a little extra, just to keep me comfy for the moment. Aren't you happy?"

"No."

"What why not?"

"You still could have sent a text that you were going suddenly start illegally gambling, I was out here thinking something happened to you. I was about to call Lexi."

"I said sorry."

"Not fucking good enough."

"Okay...how about I treat you to dinner since I kinda ruined the night." She goes to lay her head on Maddy's shoulder. "I just came into a lot of money and I have no problem spoiling you." Cassie knew that would work. She knew Maddy had the ambition to want more, with the way she raided her closet after seeing all the designer clothes she had.

"Fine. But pull that shit with me again, and I will fuck your life up, are we clear?"

"Crystal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than the next one but like I said I hated it because it was hard to find a transition.


	5. The Start of a New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaddup.

_When Cassie and Lexi first went to private school, it was a stressful morning. Not that they didn't go to a fancy preschool beforehand but this was entirely different. _

_It was a lot bigger, a lot nicer, and worse of all no more naps. Plus the uniforms made Cassie panic on how she would feel categorized._

_Their parents were driving the girls to school because it was the first day and their dad was dropping their mom off at the airport afterward so she can have fun with her friends in London that week._

_Her mother was fixing her makeup, her dad was calmly driving, and Lexi was eating cheerios. Her dad didn't like food in his car but Lexi was good on not making a mess._

_Cassie wasn't eating because she does make messes and her stomach was in knots._

_"Why couldn't I go to the same school as Ava? They don't have to wear uniforms."_

_Everyone in the car except Lexi paused and looked at Cassie. _

_"Exactly. She goes to public school." Her mother answered her with her nose wrinkled and distaste in her tone._

_"So."_

_"So, she's not getting the best education, like you and your sister." Said sister still eating cheerios without a care in the world and her mother smiles at them before going back to her makeup. _

_"Why can't she get the best education? She's smart and nice and so are her parents." Cassie's mother snorts and mumbles something before looking at her father. He sighs but starts to speak._

_"Some people have access to certain things that others don't honey. Ava's parents can only go so far, your mother and I wanted you, girls, to experience the most opportunities that you can. Which is why you have to go to this school."_

_"Oh okay." Cassie didn't feel convinced but her parents didn't seem too keen on answering any more questions. _

_When the family had finally pulled up to the school, they see parents, students, and faculty greeting each other and going inside. _

_"Alright. Are my babies ready for the first day of school?" Her mother looked excited for them and their dad was smiling at everyone in the car. Lexi, who finally finished her snack, smiles back and answers. _

_"YES!"_

_"...no."_

_All eyes snap back to Cassie again. This time though Lexi looks confused and her parents don't look happy._

_"I-I'm just r-r-really nervous." She looks down at her hands and tries not to breathe too loud since it's so quiet in the car._

_She hears her mother sigh and whispers to her father before she feels her grab her face and kiss her. "Mommy will see you when she gets back in town." Cassie nods and her mom smiles one last time before she turns towards Lexi. "C'mon peanut, let's go see your new class and meet your teacher."_

_"Okay mommy, bye daddy!" Lexi cheerfully claims and climbs out of the car._

_"See you later baby." _ _With that Lexi and their mother walk hand in hand into the school. Cassie's father sighs again before turning back to her. "What's bothering you, Cass?"_

_"I really am just nervous daddy. This school is so new and I don't know anyone here and Lexi is in another class, and what if I don't make any friends, or-"_

_"Cassie slow down, It's only the first day of school, the first day is always gonna be something to be scared of. Perfectly normal to have those doubts but if you want to be successful at anything you set your mind on. You have to have no fear of the bad things only determination of all that you can manage." _

_"Really Daddy?"_

_"Of course Babygirl, plus even if you get scared again, I'll be here to make sure you have something to fall back on for support."_

* * *

_It's the first day of school again. Cassie is entering high school, and she has no one to fall back on._

Cassie can't seem to get any air in her lungs properly. She's standing in front of East Highland and she's watching everyone greet each other after the long summer. Her mother was already gone that morning to leave for work and She walked Lexi to her school but after leaving her sister, she was by herself.

She hasn't been able to see Maddy yet since the girl's mother demanded that she was going to drive her daughter on her first day of school. They had spoken about it the night before when they talking about what they were going to wear and what classes they were signed up for.

_"Do you know what you want to major in?"_

_"Why would that matter now?"_

_"Nothing wrong with planning ahead."_

_"My plans for the future are just me kickin' it for as long as I want to."_

_"Well, that sounds irresponsible."_

_"Whatever."_

_"How about this, wherever I go, I promise to take you with me."_

_"...do you ever plan to get invited to the MET Gala?"_

_"Sure."_

_"If you can get me into events like that, I have no problem tagging along."_

Now Cassie stands in front of the school and for the first time in months, she is alone. She feels like a pussy about it, but she's scared.

This really is the worst time for her to be getting lightheaded and short on breath. Lexi would scoff but try to comfort her and Maddy would definitely bitch at her for having a panic attack on the first day of school. _You're so fucking lame Cassandra._

She can't help but smile at the Maddy-like voice inside her head but she still can't move and she needs to hurry or she'll end late to class and that is the last thing she needs. Her mother may be a raging alcoholic with extreme narcissism but she still has pride in her image, no matter how far she sunk. And that image extended to her daughters. So even though Lexi and Cassie haven't been able to see their mother because of her busy work schedule, there was a note left along with the two fifty-dollar bills she left for her children. 

_Remember to never forget where you came from._

That's absolutely the last thing Cassie wants to hear. She wants to forget where they came from but she understands the meaning behind the words and puts up a front for Lexi, even though her sister never needed it. She always killed it for the first day of school, be it grades, friends, impressing the faculty, Lexi wasn't scared. Never was, never will be, that's why she confidently walked into her school.

And yet Cassie knows she's about to make a name for herself as the freak who's staring at everyone and looks like she's about to cry.

"Hey, are you alright? Looks like you're about stab someone?" A voice says from behind her.

Cassie takes another deep breath before she turns her head and looks to see a girl with short dark hair, glasses, and a rounder build. Cassie still can't speak for out of fear of vomiting but she does shrug her shoulders and gives the girl a blank look.

Said girl looks uncomfortable with the silence but she pushes through and speaks again. "You're Cassie right?"

Cassie blinks at the girl before finally being able to find her voice. "Do I know you?"

"Um I'm Kat, I'm friends with Maddy. We haven't met yet because I've been super busy this summer but I saw that you and Maddy have been hanging out and that you both made the cheer squad."

Kat.

_"My friend Kat got her heartbroken by this fugly bitch named Daniel. She's nice but she cares too much what people think, It's sort of annoying sometimes." Both girls are swimming in a pool of one of the older girls on the team since everyone was invited for a sleepover. They're further away from most of the girls so that they can shit talk in peace._

_"That's not nice," Cassie tells her as she swims around Maddy. The other girl rolls her eyes in retaliation. _

_"It's the truth. She's not bad though, really funny and awesome vibe, that's just one of her issues."_

_"Remember what you told me. We all got our shit that we got to get through."_

_"Yeah, I guess did say that. I say the most brilliant shit, sometimes I can't keep up with what I'm saying."_

_"Why yes, you are just the wisest bitch on the planet."_

_"I deserve an award."_

_"I think you'll be fine with just a sticker."_

_"Shut up!" There's laughter in her words as she splashes Cassie's face and tries to pull her under._

"Oh yeah. Hey."

"Hey."

"...Uhh, that's a cool button." Cassie points to the One Direction button pinned to the girls' backpack. 

"Thanks, you like them?"

"I'm in the middle of MCR and 5SOS but I think they got some nice ballads.

"Well I always wanted to try out different bands and go to their concerts for fun but I never had anyone to go with."

"That sounds pretty cool, if I'm free I'll have no problem going with."

"Aww thank you." Kat blushes and looks away from Cassie for a second before turning her attention back on the blonde. "Well I guess we should head in, this place is probably a maze and no is gonna help the freshmen."

"Okay let's do that." Cassie is still nervous but talking to Kat must have given her enough courage to finally cross the threshold and enter the building. It wasn't too big, nowhere near the size of what high school she would have gone to had she stayed back home. The lighting wasn't the brightest and the school felt cramped all around.

There was one good thing about this school though. No uniforms.

* * *

Cassie didn't have the chance to speak with Kat once they found their classes, Kat had regular math class first thing in the morning along with a bunch of other classes and Cassie was in all AP courses. Her mother would throw a fit if Cassie stopped taking those.

Cassie wished Kat good luck and the girl did the same before she headed off to AP English.

Even though this morning she was frozen solid, after getting to her first class, the day seemed to have flown by, and then it was almost time for lunch. Cassie didn't know if it was lame to pack a lunch here but she only ever ate the best, and this was a school that had found the janitor smoking with some guys from the basketball team. She didn't want to dive into everything so fast. Suddenly she feels her phone buzz and sneaks a peak a text she just got.

_Come to my class when the bell rings_

Cassie looks at the message and does as she's told when the bell signals the release of class. 

Cassie heads over to Maddy's destination and finds the girl standing by lockers typing on her phone. She sneaks up behind her and covers her eyes.

"Guess who."

"Well if this BB, I'm gonna beat your ass because I told you not to touch my face after I saw you suck that sophomore off."

"...no. This is Cassie." She said slowly.

The dark-haired girl starts laughing before taking Cassie's hands in hers "I know bitch, come here." Maddy spins around and wraps her arms around Cassie in a tight hug. "I missed you." She whispers in Cassie's ear.

Cassie feels warm all over and she couldn't care about anyone else at that moment except for Maddy and how nice she feels in her arms and the amazing way she smells. "I missed you too."

Maddy holds her for just a moment longer before she lets go and grabs Cassie's arm and heading in the direction of the cafeteria. "I thought I told your dumbass to drop those stupid honor courses so that we can be in the same classes."

"You did say that, but between your irritation and my mother's anger, I had to take the lesser of two evils."

"You're the worst."

"I know."

"Whatever...just tell me how your day went so far." Her voice is bland but she winks at Cassie as she speaks.

Cassie smiles at her and the two girls laugh and talk the whole time there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to come back sooner, I've been really feeling this story. Until next time. Please give me all the love you can.


	6. Butterflies-Interlude

"Your hair smells good, and your skin is really soft...and your bed is comfy."

Cassie giggles as Maddy talks. Both girls are in the Howard residence and they're bundled on Cassie's bed, taking a nap in her room. Or Maddy is trying to but she keeps poking Cassie and Cassie isn't much of a day sleeper.

"You know you can't sleep if you keep moving."

"I'll sleep."

"Will you?"

"Yes. I'm comfortable, no need to worry."

Cassie decides not to respond, she knows that Maddy goes by her own rules and there is no point in nagging her about anything. 

They're only in silence for about another five minutes before Maddy sits up and glares at Cassie. 

"Done with your nap love?" She asks Maddy as she still scrolls through her phone.

"No you creature, you're breathing too much and I can't concentrate."

"...I'm sorry?"

"Whatever let's go do something." She climbs out of the bed and goes to grab Cassie's hand after putting her shoes back on.

"I don't feel like doing anything," Cassie whines to Maddy as the other girl starts pulling them over to the mirror and checking her self fix-up.

"Don't whine at me Cassandra, it's a very lame thing to do."

"Ugh, but I'm tired, the school has been very heavy lately."

"And that's why I'm here, so go find something for us to do and or I'll have to be forced to go Kat's and make her have fun."

Cassie again goes back to her thought process of how difficult it is to argue with Maddy because if she didn't end it there the girl would have found ways to make Cassie suffer.

_What to do, what to do..._

Her mom is off on this nice Sunday but she got home late the night before, so Cassie knows she sleeping (and drinking) the day away.

Lexi has a new best friend in Rue, but sometimes Rue can end up being flaky so Cassie could search the house for her if she is hiding out there but Maddy isn't a patient person so that option might take too long. 

_What. To. Do._

Google seems like the only option before the wicked queen decides to bite off Cassie's head. She types in any events that might before available in the middle of the day on a Sunday and sees-

"What are we doing? I'm ready."

Umm...

"Uhh...we are going to..a aquarium!" Cassie jumps up at the first thing that she sees and adds some excitement in her voice for the incredibly boring idea.

"Aquarium?" Maddy's face doesn't show anything beyond the small hint of confusion and Cassie just keeps talking.

"Yeah, it's a super big one, in the next town over and I haven't been to one in ages, it sounds fun with this Groupon I found where you swim with the animals there."

"Groupon?"

"Yeah, you can do anything with Groupon."

"That sounds a bit much..."

"No way you'll like it, I'll pack us a bag so that we can have clothes and stuff and we'll do that."

"Cassie we can just go to the movies."

"But that's boring! And I promised to find something fun. So don't worry about it, you trust me right?"

"..Right."

* * *

Two hours later, Cassie had everything ready for the last-minute adventure. 

Get the tickets.

Get their stuff.

Make sure Lexi covers for them if mom were to ask where they went.

Make sure Maddy's mom knew that she would stay the night at Cassie's and they would walk to school together. 

Snacks.

Extra money for dinner.

Gas money. 

A list of souvenirs that Cassie has to buy for Lexi's silence.

Cassie hasn't done something like this for a while. The last time she ever packed for something this fast was two years back when Cassie had nothing to do for spring break and one of her old friends told everyone that if they were ready within the hour her parents were taking the private jet to Hawaii. Cassie got her stuff ready and had a choice where she got to sit. She didn't even tell her parents until they lifted off. It was a simpler time back then.

But that doesn't stop the excitement coursing through her as they pull up to building and meet one of the instructors who will be there as they swim with dolphins.

"Are you excited?" Cassie can't help asking Maddy, who has been very quiet since they arrived. Cassie was worried that she was scared or angry but the faint blush and her nod make everything feel okay.

"I never did anything like this before, seems kinda weird." Cassie giggles and goes to help put Maddy's hair in a bun.

"Well, aren't you glad that you have a new best friend who makes you do all this weird shit now."

"I am." Maddy smiles at Cassie and that okay feeling feels ten times more good. 

After all the swimming and dolphin kisses they get, both girls decide to have dinner in the same town before making the long drive back home and hopefully getting enough rest before school tomorrow. 

"Don't I look cute with the dolphin hugging me?" Maddy shows Cassie as they sit together in a booth eating whatever was nearby. Cassie doesn't want to be that person who overthinks but Maddy sat _next_ to her instead of across from her in the booth, so she's feeling super okay at the moment. 

"Yeah, very mermaid-like." 

"I'm gonna post this shit and everyone's gonna blow up my phone asking how I did that."

"Make 'em jealous baby. For our next adventure, I'll take you zip-lining." She jokes as she takes one of Maddy's fries.

"Okay." Said girl not looking up from her phone as she continues to post more pictures on her story.

Cassie pauses from any more food-stealing to look properly at the girl. "Are you serious?"

Maddy glances at her for a moment to raise an eyebrow and go back to her phone. "Yeah, why wouldn't I. Today was fun and I never would've done it before, so I don't mind another adventure."

_What if it was a date?_ Cassie shakes her head from that thought and smiles at Maddy and then continuing her meal. "I'm glad."

* * *

It's almost one in the morning before they get back to Cassie's house and now she's having small regrets for choosing something so far away when she has to be up in less than six hours. She's dead to the world when she enters her and Lexi's room and places the bag of goodies her sister requested by her bedside and hobbling back to her side of the room.

Maddy is laying down in a similar position as she was previously that day but this time her exhaustion is noticeable as her eyes are failing to stay apart. 

"Your bed is even comfier now."

"Hmm. I guess so."

"Let me lay on your boobs."

"Why?"

"Because they're too big for no one to use."

"....I'm using them."

"Shut up and come here."

It's still very hard to argue with Maddy but Cassie has absolutely no problem letting her have anything she wants. 


End file.
